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Sophie: the Story of a Rose A few years before the end of the Second World War, some students and a professor came together to protest the tyranny of Hitler’s Germany. This brave group of six called themselves “The White Rose.” Together they printed and distributed pamphlets protesting the atrocities of Hitler and his Nazi party. Sophie Scholl was one of the students. Only 21, she joined her brother Hans and others in an incredibly risky effort to oppose violence with non-violence. Their weapons were a typewriter and a duplicating machine. Sophie was the fifth and youngest child of a middle class couple, Robert and Magdalene. Born May 9, 1921 she grew up in a tolerant atmosphere where reading was encouraged and history and politics were often discussed. Sophie enjoyed playing with her dolls as well as swimming, hiking, and drawing. When Hitler came to power, she and Hans were excited by all the talk of patriotism and loyalty to the fatherland. Reluctantly, Robert Scholl allowed them to join the German youth groups. He feared the rise of militarism, which he had resisted in World War I, becoming an ambulance driver rather than a soldier. But brother and sister soon became disillusioned by the emphasis on conformity and racism and left their youth groups. Hans went to the Russian front as an army medic. Sophie worked as a kindergarten teacher for a while, but eventually had to go off to perform the tours of work required of all young German women. She even labored for several months in a munitions factory. In Russia Hans met other young Germans who were upset by the treatment of Russian civilians and by reports of mass killings of Jews in Poland. Upon his return to Munich he enrolled in medical school and with friends began the work of the White Rose. When Sophie finally arrived in Munich to begin her studies in biology and philosophy, she attended discussions with Hans and his friends and eventually joined in their work of protest. Filling her backpack with pamphlets, she would take the train to nearby cities so that mailings could not be traced to one particular place or post office. If her bag had been searched she would have been arrested immediately. On visits to her family she never mentioned her work with the White Rose. In February 1943 the students decided to try to reach their fellow students more directly and spread pamphlets all around the main lecture hall. A custodian noticed them at work, called the police and they were quickly arrested and taken to Stadelheim Prison. Long interrogations followed. A judge famous for his harsh verdicts was brought in from another city to conduct the trial. A third White Rose member, Christoph Probst was also arrested. He was the only member of the group with a family: a wife and three children. There were hours of interrogation. White Rose was composed and dignified, but to no avail. Sentence was pronounced on the fourth day: death by beheading. Robert and Magdalene were allowed one last visit. Robert reported later to his daughter, Inge, that Hans showed no sign of dejection or despair; he thanked his parents for their love for him and declared: “I have no hate for anyone anymore.” Sophie’s smile was fresh and unforced. “We took everything upon ourselves. What we did will cause waves.” Her mother asked her to remember Jesus. “Yes,” said Sophie, “and you, too.” Christoph Probst had no visitors, because his wife and family had not been informed. He was a man of great faith, but had never been baptized, though his inclination and study had led him toward Catholicism. From his cell he asked to see a Catholic priest and was admitted into the church at the point of death saying “My death will be easy and joyful.” In one of their pamphlets they had written: Man is free, to be sure, but without the true God he is defenseless against the principle of evil. . . .We must attack evil where it is strongest, and it is strongest in the power of Hitler. . . . We will not be silent. We are your bad conscience. The White Rose will not leave you in peace.
Mary Lou and Phyllis Grady |